Roasted Potatoes and Pork Chops

Pan-Seared, Oven Roasted, Thick-Cut Pork Chops

The two things that make these Pork Chops very moist and tender are placing them in a brine and allowing them to rest. Delicious!

3/4 C packed light brown sugar
1/4 C table salt
4 bone-in rib pork chops 1 1/2 inch thick (obviously I did boneless)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 T vegetable oil

1. Dissolve the brown sugar and salt in 6 cups cold wat4er in a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Add the pork chops and seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 1 hour. Remove the chops from the brine, rinse, and pat thouroughly dry with paper towels. Season the chops with the pepper.
2. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position, place a shallow roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 450 degrees. When the oven reaches 450 degrees, heat oil in a heavy bottomed 12" skillet over high heat until shimmering (I use my cast iron pan). Lay the chops in the skillet and cook until well browned and a nice crust has formed on the surface, about 3 minutes. Turn the chops over with tongs and cook until well browned and a nice crust has formed on the second side, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
Using the tongs, transfer the chops to the pre-heated pan in the oven. Roast 8 to 10 minutes, turning the chops over once halfway through the cooking time. Transfer the chops to a platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes (use this time to make a pan sauce if desired). Serve immediately. (temperature can be checked with a digital instant read thermometer to check for doneness)